M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Amaziah becomes the king of Judah
14 Joash's son Amaziah became the king of Judah when Jehoahaz's son Jehoash had been the king of Israel for two years. 2 Amaziah was 25 years old when he began to rule as king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 29 years. His mother's name was Jehoaddin. She was from Jerusalem. 3 Amaziah did things that the Lord said were good. He lived in the way that his father Joash had done. But he did not do as well as his ancestor King David had done. 4 He did not remove the altars on the hills. The people continued to offer sacrifices and to burn incense on those altars.
5 Amaziah made himself strong to rule his kingdom with authority. Then he killed the officers who had murdered his father, King Joash. 6 But he did not punish their sons with death. He obeyed the Lord's command that was written in the Book of the Law of Moses. The command says, ‘Do not punish fathers with death when their sons do bad things. Do not punish children with death when their fathers do bad things. Each person must die only because of his own sins.’[a]
7 Amaziah killed 10,000 soldiers from Edom in Salt valley.[b] He attacked Sela city and he took it for himself. He gave it a new name, ‘Joktheel’. That is still its name.
8 Then Amaziah sent men with a message to King Jehoash of Israel. He was the son of Jehoahaz and the grandson of Jehu. Amaziah's message said, ‘Come here and meet me.’ 9 But King Jehoash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah: ‘In Lebanon, a thorn bush sent this message to a cedar tree: “Please give your daughter to my son, to be his wife.” Then a wild animal of Lebanon came and knocked down the thorn bush. It walked all over it! 10 Yes! You have won the fight against Edom. But do not boast about your power! You may be very happy, but stay at home! Do not try to fight against us. If you do that, you will cause trouble that destroys both you and your kingdom, Judah.’
11 But Amaziah did not accept Jehoash's message. So King Jehoash of Israel prepared to attack Amaziah's army. Jehoash and Amaziah met together in battle at Beth Shemesh, a town in Judah. 12 Israel's army won the battle against Judah's army. All the soldiers from Judah ran back home. 13 At Beth Shemesh, King Jehoash of Israel caught the king of Judah, Amaziah, the son of Joash and the grandson of Ahaziah. Then King Jehoash went to attack Jerusalem. He destroyed the wall of Jerusalem, between the Ephraim Gate and the Corner Gate. That part of the wall was 180 metres long. 14 He took all the gold and silver and all the valuable things from the Lord's temple and the palace. He also took some of the people away with him as prisoners. Then he returned to Samaria.
King Jehoash of Israel dies
15 The other things that happened while Jehoash was king are written in a book. The book is called ‘The history of Israel's kings’. It tells about all the great things that Jehoash did. It tells about the war that he fought against King Amaziah of Judah. 16 Jehoash died and they buried him beside the other kings of Israel in Samaria. His son Jeroboam became king after him.
King Amaziah of Judah dies
17 Joash's son Amaziah, the king of Judah, lived for 15 years after Jehoahaz's son Jehoash, the king of Israel, died. 18 The other things that happened while Amaziah was king are written in a book. The book is called ‘The history of Judah's kings’. 19 Some people in Jerusalem made a plan to kill Amaziah. So he ran away to Lachish. But the people in Jerusalem sent men to catch him in Lachish. They killed Amaziah there. 20 They carried his dead body back to Jerusalem on a horse. They buried him there beside his ancestors in the City of David. 21 All the people in Judah made Amaziah's son Azariah king instead of his father. Azariah was 16 years old. 22 He was the king who built Elath into a strong city again. He put it back under Judah's power. He did that after his father Amaziah had died.
Jeroboam II becomes the king of Israel
23 Jehoash's son Jeroboam became the king of Israel when Joash's son Amaziah had been king of Judah for 15 years. Jeroboam ruled Israel for 41 years in Samaria.[c] 24 He did things that the Lord said were evil. He did not turn away from the bad things that Nebat's son Jeroboam had done. He had caused many people in Israel to do those sins.
25 Jeroboam was the king who made Israel's border strong between Lebo-Hamath and the Salt Sea.[d] The Lord, Israel's God, had already told his prophet Jonah that this would happen. Jonah was the son of Amittai and he came from Gath Hepher.
26 Everyone in Israel had a lot of trouble and pain, whoever they were. There was no leader who could rescue them. The Lord had seen this, so he helped Jeroboam. 27 The Lord had never said that he would completely remove Israel from the earth. So he gave Jehoash's son Jeroboam the power to rescue them.
28 The other things that happened while Jeroboam was king are written in a book. The book is called ‘The history of Israel's kings’. It tells about all the great things that Jeroboam did. It tells how he fought battles to get back power for Israel over Damascus and Hamath. 29 Jeroboam died and they buried him beside the other kings of Israel in Samaria. His son Zechariah became king after him.[e]
Timothy must continue to do his work for God
4 Timothy, I tell you this seriously, as God and Christ Jesus see everything that we do. When Christ Jesus comes to rule as king, he will judge everyone. He will judge the people who are alive and also those who have already died. When he appears, he will decide what should happen to them all. So I tell you this now: 2 Tell God's message to people. Always be ready to speak God's message clearly to people, whether they want to listen to you or not. Warn people when they are doing something wrong. Tell them to stop doing wrong things, and explain to them what they ought to do. But be very patient while you teach them what is true.
3 Do this, because a time will come when people will not listen to God's true message. Instead, they will want to hear all kinds of new messages that will make them happy. So they will find many teachers for themselves who will tell them what they want to hear. 4 People will refuse to listen to God's true message. Instead, they will want to listen to silly stories that are false. 5 But you yourself must continue to think seriously and clearly. Be patient and brave when troubles come. Continue to tell the good news about Christ to people. Do all the work that God has given you to do as his servant.
6 As for me, it is nearly time for me to die. My death will be like a drink offering that they pour out to God. My life as God's servant will end.[a] 7 I have worked to serve Christ well. I have finished everything that God wanted me to do. I am like a runner who has run to the end of the race. I have continued to believe God's true message. 8 So now a gift is waiting for me. The Lord will make me completely right with him. That will be like a crown which the Lord will give me on that great day when he judges people. He is the judge who is fair and right. He will not only give that gift to me. He will give it to all those people who love him. They will be happy to see him when he comes again.[b]
Paul's last words to Timothy
9 Timothy, please come to see me as soon as you can. 10 Demas has left me and he has gone to Thessalonica city. He wanted to enjoy the things of this world too much.[c] Crescens has gone to Galatia region.[d] Titus has gone to Dalmatia region.[e]
11 Only Luke is with me now.[f] Bring Mark with you when you come. He can help me very much with the work for God. 12 I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.[g]
13 I left a coat with Carpus in Troas.[h] Bring it when you come. Also bring the books for me. If you cannot bring all of them, then be sure to bring my special papers.
14 Alexander, the man who makes things from metal, caused a lot of trouble for me. The Lord will punish him because of the wrong things that he did. 15 You must also be careful that he does not cause trouble for you. He argued very strongly against our message.
16 I had to explain to a judge that I had not done anything wrong. The first time I did that, nobody helped me. All my friends stayed away. I pray that God will forgive them for that. 17 But the Lord was there to help me. He made me strong so that I could tell his message clearly. Gentile people from many countries could hear what I said. So the Lord saved me from the danger of death. 18 The Lord will continue to save me from every bad thing. And he will bring me safely to heaven, where he rules. He is great and we should praise him for ever! Amen! This is true!
19 Say ‘hello’ for me to Priscilla and Aquila, and to the family of Onesiphorus.[i][j] 20 Erastus remained at Corinth city.[k] I left Trophimus at Miletus city because he was ill.[l]
21 Please try to come before the winter. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus and Claudia say ‘hello’ to you. All the other believers here also say ‘hello’.
22 I pray that the Lord will continue to make you strong in your spirit. I pray that he will be kind to all of you.
7 ‘Yes, I want to make the people of Israel healthy again,
but I see how great their sins are.
Samaria's people do many evil things.
They deceive one another,
they take things from other people's homes,
and they attack people in the streets to rob them.
2 They do not understand that I remember all their sins.
The wicked things that they do are everywhere.
Wherever they go, I see their sins very clearly.[a]
The king does not rule well
3 The king is happy to see the evil things that his people do.
The leaders are also happy when the people cheat and tell lies.
4 None of them serves me faithfully.
They are always ready to do bad things,
like an oven that has a hot fire inside it.
When the baker is ready to bake his bread,
he makes the fire even hotter.[b]
5 On a day when the king has a feast,
the leaders drink too much wine.
The king and the leaders join with other people to do foolish things.
6 But the leaders are planning to murder the king.
Their anger is like the fire of an oven.
It burns slowly inside them all through the night.
But in the morning the fire is too strong to hold.
7 They are so angry that they kill their rulers.
Now all their kings are dead.
None of them calls out to me for help.’
Israel's people refuse to change
8 ‘Ephraim's people have mixed themselves with people of other nations.[c]
So they have become useless, like bread that is not properly cooked.[d]
9 Foreign people have taken away Israel's strength.
But the Israelites do not realize what is happening!
They have become like an old man with grey hair.
But they do not realize how weak they are.
10 Israel's people are too proud to change.
This shows that they are guilty.
They still refuse to turn back to me, the Lord their God.
In all their troubles, they do not look for my help.
11 Ephraim has become like a silly dove.[e]
He cannot decide where to go.
The Israelites ask Egypt to help them.
Then they decide to ask Assyria instead.
12 When they fly around like that,
I will throw my net over them.
I will catch them like birds that fly in the sky.
I will punish them as they join together to do evil things.
13 Terrible trouble will happen to them,
because they have gone away from me.
They have turned against me, so they will die.
I wanted to rescue them,
but they have told lies about me.
14 They do not pray and trust me to help them.
Instead, they lie down on their beds and they weep loudly.
They cut their bodies to get grain and wine.[f]
They turn away from me.
15 I taught them what was right. I made them strong.
But now they have decided to do evil things against me.
16 They do not look up to me for help.
They are as useless as a bow that cannot shoot an arrow properly.
Their leaders are proud of their own strength,
but they will die in battle.
Then the people of Egypt will laugh at them.’
A song to sing as we climb.
Lord, please help me[a]
120 I cried to the Lord to help me in my trouble.
He answered me.
2 I prayed, ‘Lord, keep me safe from people who tell lies.
Save me from people who want to deceive me.’
3 How will God punish you,
you people who deceive others?
He will punish you properly!
4 Yes, the sharp arrows of a soldier will hurt you.
They will give you pain, like wood that burns with fire.
5 I am so sad! I live in Meshek as a stranger.
I live among the people of Kedar.
6 I have lived too long with people that hate peace.
7 I want to live here in peace.
But when I say this, they only want war!
A song to sing as we climb.
Only God can keep me safe[b]
121 As I travel, I look up towards the hills.
I will find no help there.
2 My help comes from the Lord.
He made the heaven and the earth.
3 He will take care of you,
so that you do not fall.
The one who keeps you safe will not sleep.
4 Yes! The Lord keeps Israel's people safe.
He never gets tired or sleeps at all!
5 The Lord is the one who keeps you safe.
He is very near to you.
He will give you shade from the hot sun.
6 The hot sun will not hurt you in the daytime.
At night, the moon cannot hurt you.
7 The Lord is the one who takes care of you in all danger.
He keeps your life safe.
8 Whatever you do and wherever you go,
the Lord will always keep you safe,
now and for ever.
A song to sing as we climb.
David wrote this song.
122 It made me very happy when people said to me,
‘We will go to the house of the Lord.’[c]
2 Now we have arrived!
We are standing inside your gates, Jerusalem!
3 Jerusalem is a strong city where many people can meet together.
4 Israel's tribes who belong to the Lord go up there.[d]
They go there to thank the Lord,
as he has commanded them.
5 Israel's leaders sit there to judge the people.
They sit on the thrones of King David's descendants.
6 Pray that there will be peace in Jerusalem.
Pray that people who love Jerusalem will be safe.
7 Yes, I pray that there will be peace inside the city's walls.
I pray people will be safe in their strong houses.
8 Because of my family and my friends I will pray,
‘Please let there be peace in Jerusalem.’
9 Because of the house of the Lord our God,
I will pray for good things to happen in Jerusalem.
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